Auditions, Interviews and Open House for 2013 - 2014
Upcoming Audition Dates
Saturday, September 28, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
Monday, November 11, 2013, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 25, 2014, 10:00 a.m. (at Chicago Academy for the Arts; no Dance audition).
Saturday, February 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. (also a School of Theatre and Dance Open House Day).
Friday, April 4, 2014, 11:00 a.m. (for major sequence admission only, not for scholarship consideration).
School of Theatre and Dance Open House
Our annual Open House/Audition Day is Saturday, February 22, 2014. This event gives students and parents an opportunity to see what the School of Theatre and Dance has to offer.
Open House Events include:
- A welcoming meeting hosted by the Director of the School of Theatre and Dance and featuring performances by our students.
- Tours of the School of Theatre and Dance, including performance spaces, classrooms, shops, and computer rooms.
- Tours of the Illinois State University campus.
- Opportunities for prospective students and their families to meet School of Theatre and Dance faculty and staff.
- Opportunities for prospective students to talk one-on-one with current students.
- A question and answer session for parents with the Director of the School of Theatre and Dance.
- Complimentary tickets to a MainStage production.
High school seniors and transfer students also can:
- Audition for admission to a Performance Sequence (Acting, Dance Performance or Dance Education).
- Present a Portfolio for admission to the Design/Production Sequence.
- Interview for School of Theatre and Dance scholarships.
Admission & Auditions
Awards, Scholarships & Assistantships
To request more information regarding the Open House/Audition Day, please contact the School of Theatre and Dance at (309) 438-8783 during business hours.
Undergraduate Admission & Auditions
Thank you for your interest in applying to the Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance.
Students seeking admission to the School of Theatre and Dance begin by applying for admission to the University, using the regular admissions procedure. When you fill out your admission application form, you will also select a date for a School of Theatre and Dance audition, portfolio review or interview. More information about this process is outlined below.
Admission & Audition / Portfolio Review / Interview / Scholarship Requirements for Incoming Students
Freshmen and transfer students intending to pursue a Performance sequence (Acting, Dance, or Dance Education) are required to audition for admission into that sequence. Students intending to pursue the Design/Production sequence must participate in a portfolio review and interview. Students who apply for one of these sequences and are not admitted may declare a major in the Theatre Studies sequence and re-audition or resubmit their portfolio at a later date.
Freshmen and transfer students intending to pursue the Theatre Education or Theatre Studies sequences need only be accepted by Illinois State University and declare either sequence for admission. However, to be considered for School of Theatre and Dance scholarship support, students intending to pursue either option must participate in an interview. Students applying for a Performance or Design/Production sequence do not need to participate in an additional interview for scholarship consideration—your audition or portfolio review counts as your scholarship interview.
All new students must apply to Illinois State University prior to their audition or interview date. Upcoming audition, portfolio review and interview dates are:
- Saturday, September 28, 2013, 2:00 p.m (also a University Open House Day)
- Monday, November 11, 2013, 2:00 p.m. (also a University Open House Day)
- Saturday, January 25, 2014, 10:00 a.m. (at Chicago Academy for the Arts; no Dance audition)
- Saturday, February 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. (also a School of Theatre and Dance Open House Day)
- Friday, April 4, 2014, 11:00 a.m. (not for scholarship consideration)
View guidelines and procedures for auditions, portfolio reviews, and scholarship interviews for each sequence:
Transfer Students
We welcome transfer students in the School of Theatre and Dance and appreciate the diversity of experiences they bring to the program.
The School of Theatre and Dance offers special advice for transfer students from Illinois community colleges who intend to pursue the Acting major at ISU. You should plan on taking all your Acting classes at Illinois State University to ensure success in upper-level Acting courses. For more information see "Tips for Transfer Students" under Academic Advising.
Current Illinois State students
Students who wish to change their major to theatre should log in to the iCampus Portal and click "Apply to My Program" in the Academics channel. Details regarding the admission process will be outlined on the application for each sequence.
Undergraduate Admission to Illinois State University
All prospective students are encouraged to review guidelines and projected application deadlines on the Office of Admissions Web site. Priority consideration for admission will be given to outstanding students whose applications are complete and postmarked during the priority filing period for the term for which you are applying. Applications postmarked during the priority filing period may have an advantage when space is limited. When you're ready, apply online!
For information on graduate admissions please visit the Graduate MFA or Graduate MS/MA admissions pages.
Talent Admissions
Students who are denied admission by Illinois State University may contact the School of Theatre and Dance about our Talent Admissions policy. The School may be able to assist a student with exceptional potential—but only if we are convinced that the student has demonstrated the academic ability to succeed at the university level. Contact
the School of Theatre and Dance advisor, Tom Powers, for more information: (309) 438-2899.
Graduate Programs
Illinois State University offers competitive Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts / Master of Science programs. We seek mature students with a strong, disciplined desire to grow as artists and scholars. Candidates should review the admissions information for their program of interest:
Application to Illinois State University may be made online through the Office of Admissions.
Please review program-specific admission requirements and the application process on our graduate program pages or in the Graduate Catalog.
If you have further questions, please contact us.
